His first year as head coach, 1985, Ross earned less than $20,000. The pay was low but the chance to coach at his alma mater, and his father's, was too much to haggle over pay.

"I have no problem with how much money I make or my budget," Ross said. "You don't get in coaching for money. People see the stories about the big coaches and all that. They don't see what I made." ...